Angularly adjustable end wrench

ABSTRACT

An end wrench is provided in which the angle between the nut receiving opening and the handle structure may be readily adjusted across a broad angle range. The handle comprises two separate pieces, each of which is individually, pivotally fixed to the head section symmetrically about a line bisecting the nut receiving opening. The inner edge of each handle portion is provided with serrations which are complementarily configured to interlock when the handle portions are clasped together. By manually separating the handle portions and moving them longitudinally with respect to one another, the angle of the head portion with respect to the handle may be adjusted to the angle desired whereupon the handle portions may be brought together to lock the head portion at the desired angle.

United States Patent Cade et al.

ANGULARLY ADJUSTABLE END WRENCH 111 3,715,937 Feb. 13, 1973 Primary Examiner-Robert C. Riordon Assistant Examiner.lames G. Smith Attorney-William H. Drummond et al.

[ 5 7 ABSTRACT An end wrench is provided in which the angle between the nut receiving opening and the handle structure may be readily adjusted across a broad angle range. The handle comprises two separate pieces, each of which is individually, pivotally fixed to the head section symmetrically about a line bisecting the nut receiving opening. The inner edge of each handle portion is provided with serrations which are complementarily configured to interlock when thehandle portions are clasped together. By manually separating the handle portions and moving them longitudinally with respect to one another, the angle of the head portion with respect to the handle may be adjusted to the angle desired whereupon the handle portions may be brought together to lock the head portion at the desired angle.

1 Claim, 2 Drawing Figures PATENTEDFEBBHIYK 3,715,937

INVENTOR. JAMES E. CADE BY FRANK MOSSUTO ATTORNEYS ANGULARLY ADJUSTABLE END WRENCH This invention relates to the hand tool arts and, more particularly, to an end wrench in which the head portion may be angularly adjusted with'respect to the handle.

End wrenches, both open-end and box-end, are provided with different fixed angularity between the nut receiving portion and the handle. Particularly with respect to open-end wrenches, the angle provided, if any, rarely is ideal for the job at hand when the area within which the user must work is limited. Further, high quality tools are expensive such that it becomes prohibitive to purchase a set of open-end wrenches, in-

all the desired sizes, with a number of different angles between the nut receiving portion and the handles. Additionally, even if such a set of wrenches is available, the time factor involved in constantly changing from one wrench to another simply to secure a different angle between the nut receiving portion and the handle becomes prohibitively expensive in view of the cost of labor. Thus, it willbe readily apparent to those skilled in the art that it would be highly desirable to provide a single wrench which can be expeditiously adjusted to provide any one of a substantial number of angles between the nut receiving head portion and the handle of the wrench.

It is therefore a broad object of our invention to provide an improved end wrench.

It is'another object of our invention to provide an end wrench in which the angle between the nut receiving portion and the handle may be readily adjusted.

It is yet another object of our invention to provide such an angularly adjustable end wrench which is very strong and locks absolutely securely at the selected angle.

Yet another object of our invention is to provide such an angularly adjustable end wrench which is relatively simple and may be economically manufactured in quantity.

- adjustments are effected; and

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1 to illustrate a preferred manner for securing the head section to the handle portion.

Referring simultaneously to FIGS. 1 and 2, it will be observed that a head section 1 includes a nut receiving opening 2 shown, by way of example, as an open-end. It will be understood that the nut receiving opening may be standard SAE, metric, Whitworth, or other measure or may be adjustable in the well known fashion. Further, the nut receiving opening 2 may also be a boxend although the primary advantages of the invention are realized with the open-end configuration.

Rearwardly disposed from the nut receiving opening 2 is a reduced thickness portion 3 of the head section I, and the head section terminates at a rearmo'st portion 4 of the reduced thickness portion 3.

A first elongated handle portion 5 and a second elongated handle portion 6 are disposed in a generally sideby-side relationship in the wrench operating position. The handle portions 5 and 6 are respectively, pivotally secured to the reduced thickness portion 3 of the head section 1 by means of pins 7 and 8 which pass, respectively, through apertures 9 and 10 in the handle portions 5 and 6 and corresponding apertures in the reduced thickness portion 3 of the head section 1, of

which only the aperture 11 is visible in the partially cutaway cross-sectionalview of FIG. 2.

Referring now specifically to FIG. 1, it will be observed that each of the handle portions Sand 6 have facing serrated inner edges 12 and 13 respectively. The serrations are configured to be complementary in order that when the two handle portions Sand 6 are squeezed together the serrations l2 and 13 interlock to prevent mutual longitudinal translation'of the handle portions 5 and 6.

In orderto change the angle of the head section 1 with respect to the handle comprising the handle portions 5 and-6, the handle portions are simply separated to free the serrations and moved longitudinally with respect to one another to re-or-ient the angular relationship between the head section 1 and the handle. The handle sections 5 and 6 are again squeezed together to re-lock the serrations 12 and 13 which, because of their identical configuration, readily mate with one another even though the angular adjustment requires mutual longitudinal translation'between the two.

Preferably, recesses 14 and 15 are cut longitudinally in the ends of the handle portions 5 and 6 in order thatthe pivoting ends of the handle portions straddle the reduced thickness portion 3 of the head section 1 minsure a strong construction. It will be noted, from FIG. 1, that the recesses 14 and 15 are cut at an angle of approximately 45 to receive the reduced thickness portion 3 as the handle portions 5 and 6 are rotated. While the recesses 14 and 15 could simply be cut straight across to terminate in a shoulder substantially perpendicular to the long dimension of the handle portions, the configuration chosen provides a stronger construction and also mitigates the possibility of the operators inadvertently pinching himself.

As will be apparent from the extreme position and the aligned, intennediate position depicted in FIG. I, it has been found desirable to provide a slight angle to each of the handle portions 5 and 6 intermediate along their length. The effect of the angle is to create an open area 16 when the wrench is in the aligned position, which open area-serves to accommodate the distance between the pinning points of the handle portion and also, as the angle is increased, to function as a stop when the open area 16 is reduced until the handle portions 5 and 6 abut near their pivoted ends.

While the principles of the invention have now been made clear in an illustrative embodiment, there will be immediately obvious to those skilled in the art many modifications of structure, arrangement, proportions, the elements, materials, and components, used in the practice of the invention which are particularly adapted for specific environments and operating requirements without departing from those principles.

We claim:

1. An end wrench comprising:

A. a head section, said head having a nut receiving opening, said head section having a reduced thickness portion disposed rearwardly from said nut receiving opening, first and second pin receiving apertures directed perpendicularly through said reduced thickness portion, said first and second apertures being disposed symmetrically about a line bisecting said nut receiving opening and said reduced thickness portion;

B. first and second elongated handle portions, each said handle portion having first and second ends, first and second opposing surfaces, and first and second opposing-long edge portions,

1, first and second perpendicular apertures passing from said first surface to said second surface proximate-said first ends of said first and second elongated handles respectively,

I a recess in said first end of each of said elongated handles perpendicular to, intercepting and ceeding the thickness of said reduced thickness portion of said head section,

3. said first opposing long edge portions on each handle being serrated, the serrations on each said elongated handle being of complementary configuration such that the serrated edges may be closely interlocked against mutual longitudinal movement;

c. first and second pin means for pivotally securing said handles to said head portion, said first pin passing through said first pin receiving aperture and said first perpendicular aperture and said second pin passing through said second pin receiv ing aperture and said second perpendicular aperture;

whereby said handles may be manually separated to unlock said serrations thereby permitting mutual longitudinal movement resulting in a change in the angle between said head section and said handles, at which changed angle, said handles may be .pulled together to re-interlock said serrations to fix said head portion at said changed angle for utilization. 

1. An end wrench comprising: A. a head section, said head having a nut receiving opening, said head section having a reduced Thickness portion disposed rearwardly from said nut receiving opening, first and second pin receiving apertures directed perpendicularly through said reduced thickness portion, said first and second apertures being disposed symmetrically about a line bisecting said nut receiving opening and said reduced thickness portion; B. first and second elongated handle portions, each said handle portion having first and second ends, first and second opposing surfaces, and first and second opposing long edge portions,
 1. first and second perpendicular apertures passing from said first surface to said second surface proximate said first ends of said first and second elongated handles respectively,
 2. a recess in said first end of each of said elongated handles perpendicular to, intercepting and extending beyond said aperture from said first surface to said second surface toward said second end, the width of said recess slightly exceeding the thickness of said reduced thickness portion of said head section,
 3. said first opposing long edge portions on each handle being serrated, the serrations on each said elongated handle being of complementary configuration such that the serrated edges may be closely interlocked against mutual longitudinal movement; c. first and second pin means for pivotally securing said handles to said head portion, said first pin passing through said first pin receiving aperture and said first perpendicular aperture and said second pin passing through said second pin receiving aperture and said second perpendicular aperture; whereby said handles may be manually separated to unlock said serrations thereby permitting mutual longitudinal movement resulting in a change in the angle between said head section and said handles, at which changed angle, said handles may be pulled together to re-interlock said serrations to fix said head portion at said changed angle for utilization.
 2. a recess in said first end of each of said elongated handles perpendicular to, intercepting and extending beyond said aperture from said first surface to said second surface toward said second end, the width of said recess slightly exceeding the thickness of said reduced thickness portion of said head section,
 3. said first opposing long edge portions on each handle being serrated, the serrations on each said elongated handle being of complementary configuration such that the serrated edges may be closely interlocked against mutual longitudinal movement; c. first and second pin means for pivotally securing said handles to said head portion, said first pin passing through said first pin receiving aperture and said first perpendicular aperture and said second pin passing through said second pin receiving aperture and said second perpendicular aperture; whereby said handles may be manually separated to unlock said serrations thereby permitting mutual longitudinal movement resulting in a change in the angle between said head section and said handles, at which changed angle, said handles may be pulled together to re-interlock said serrations to fix said head portion at said changed angle for utilization. 